ANIMAL ANIMOSITIES

Evening Star, Issue 18714, 16 August 1924, Page 19

ANIMAL ANIMOSITIES

DEADLY HATREDS OF WILD SPECIES. The Nature writers, some of them unfortunately fakers, have derived much sensation from the imagined inclination of wild animals to engage in deadly struggles. Most readers enjoy n fight in the telling', and especially so if the moral responsibility tor the lack of humanity happens to be wanting. Pitched battles for the mere sake of fighting, or long-continued contests for any cause, are rare, or may never occur among the highly-organised creatures. Despite the continual struggle for existence between those that prey or aro preyed upon and the rivalries during the mating seasons, the inhabitants of the wilds are generally prone to avoid hostilities that can gain them nothing but wounds. Most creatures fully comprehend their own powers and those of others capable of inflicting injury, and they are unwilling to risk possible hurt or oven engage in violent effort to little purpose. Thus the puma and the bears, though undoubtedly possessing a hatred for each other due to their seeking similar game, hold a truce rarely if over broken, the stories to the contrary being pure invention. The bobcat and tho Canada lynx, in those regions whore their habitats merge, fully respect each other, even when one is hungry and the other has made a kill; and that these most grouchy carnivora, avoiding ihoir own kind except during tho breeding urge, and at odds with all oilier creatures, keep from porsonal-t encounters is sufficient evidence of a common inclination. The fighting of males over mistresses of a common choice is a usual thing among mammals and birds, but, these are individual affairs upon. the spur of the moment, and they rftfoly mean more than a brief scrap, one contestant either quickly getting the worst of it, or the two backing oft' with mutual respect, ami each going its way. However powerful and possibly bloodthirsty tho opponents, they are commonly too sensitive to injury and pain to continue receiving it. This is also tho case anion" domestic animals, except when they have been especially bred to overcome fear and hurt, as tho bull dog and tho game cock.

With some, species, as the flocking migratory birds, those rivalries are forgotten, and the former scrappers mix amicably with each other. Among the polygamous, continually breeding speoioso r warm countries or that originated there, as tho domestic fowl and the peacock, these rivalries continue, and thus also with the herding mammals whore the weaker males are perpetually driven off by those stronger. Feuds between different species, one or both of which threaten tho safety of the other’s young, aro not uncommon, and this is the chief cause of such hatreds as exist between the wild cat and the wolf, tho mink and the fox, the raccoon and the weasels. The enmity that tho crow displays toward the hawks is an example, and it is shown also by tho suspicion with which all herbivora regard members of the larger felines and canines. The deer and tho hog have a similar but probably a less purposeful enmity for all snakes. The well-known animosity of tho kingbird toward nearly all birds which it must regard as potential egg-stealers, the similar warfare declared by tho purple mart! against hawks and crows, the battles between robins and thieving graoldes, and the suspicions directed toward tho jay by all small birds are merely developments of self-preservation. Tho feud between th'o sparrow falcon and its much larger relatives, tho red-tailci and rod-shouldered buzzards, is not so easily comprehended, for tho big hawks cannot readily roach the young falcons in tho narrow tree cavities, and where the nest_ is always guarded; it may be more suspicion, and the knowledge on the little falcon’s part that tho buzzards might enjoy fat young falcon. Tho animosity shown is, nevertheless, out of proportion to its cause; the falcon, giving evidence of a wing-power equal to that of any bird of its size, swoops from far above upon tho back of its enemy, sometimes striking and tearing tho feathers away, but rarely, if ever, disabling tho larger bird so that its retreat is checked.

Among the reptiles certain feuds exist that are moro difficult to explain; such as the king snake’s desire to destroy all poisonous and some non-vonomous species larger and seemingly more powerful than itself. Nor is it understood why the rattlesnake shows a readiness to inflict its horribly aggressive defence upon dogs, cats, larger birds, and humans, and regards with ' indifference the nearness of horses and _ cattle, unless trodden upon. Its enmity for the hog is natural enough. It may seem strange also, considering the small intelligence with which we credit reptiles in general, that the skunk and some snakes readily distinguish herbivorous from carnivorous animals, fleoing from the latter and approaching doer and cattle to feed upon the (lies that they attract. It is among the insects and their allies that specific animosities are most bitterly expressed, though many of the moro highly-developed, six-legged banditti know their peers, and decline to mix with them in the struggle for existence. Others exceed the mammals in daring and pluck. The social hyraenoptera, with their stings as weapons for the defence of the colony habitations, are examples of the highest development in the ' expression of that which may bo culled nothing less than patriotism. The animosities those valiant little creatures show toward any enemy that may encroach upon the paper nest or the hive aro endless. It may appear strange that the solitary boos and wasps donot show this sarao spirit generally m defence of their nests, but this is explained by the fact that tho larger creatures give the diggers and mud daubers little concern, and it may be assumed that tho encroachment of moles or shrews or oartii-boring beetles would be resented. A digger wasp that only preys upon spiders has been seen to attack and drive away a large grasshopper from tho vicinity of tho burrow. Whether fighting in defence of tho nest or because of tho desire for food, tho arthropods present the most daring and valiant warriors, and the battles that result aro tho most prolonged and vigorous. Often the size and prowess of tho attacked cut no figure in tho determination of tbo attackers. Thus the robber flics, tho assassin bugs, tho tiger, booties, and certain spiders eagerly seize upon creatures far larger and moro powerful than themselves, and those also capable of inflicting injury or death. Tho wheel-back bug, the conenose and the fiat stink bug, or any one of' their assassinating relatives, commonly attack _ whatever may come within roach of their deliberate but no less suro grasp and tho puncturing power of their swordlike proboscos. The intended victim may be endowed with stin gor severing jaws, but tho assassins do not hesitate, and occasionally a yellow jacket or a polistos wasp may be seen with its vitals pierced effectively applying its sting to tho bug, one dying of enforced antenna, tho other of injected venom.

Swifter of win" than moat predacious hexapods, tho robber fly represents among insects tho position of tho hawk among birds; its attacks are often made in midair. It does not hositato to pounco upon wasps or bees, generally seizing tho victim from .behind with its long, strong legs, and in such a manner that it ' cannot be reached by the sting. Occasionally it risks too much, as when attacking the digger wasps; tho extended and flexible abdominal potiolo permits tho sting to pierce tho fly. Tho big, black robber fly also sometimes clashes with tho queen of hornets, tho beautiful big sandhill digger, and there is either tm instant separation of the contestants or tho robber drops lifeless to the ground before its stilotto-liko proboscis can stab its opponent. In such eases, however, all tho animosity is on the part of tho robber fly. Tiger booties also aro willing fighters, often when they do not seem to gain food thereby, though this may result from error in picking tho victim, which may make n victim of thorn. Tho Cicindola does not hositato to cotno to grips with an assassin bug, the awful odor of the latter, Whic! effectively- warns away tho vertebras inseotivora, having no terrors for tho beetle. This is an affair that any lover of a good scrap will delight to witness; crushing jaws and a coat of moil against a piercing sword, and if thoro is not too much difference in size and strength the more agile and better-protected beetle always wins by pinching off tho proboscis or tho entire head of its adversary, and then feeding upon it. In like manner tho tiger beetle’s armor serves a needed purpose when it attacks or is attacked by a robber fly, and this occurs not infrequently. The beetle can soizo only a log of tho fly, and the robber cannot thrust its dagger into the beetle, but both aro exceedingly persistent, coifing over and over in the effort to, gain tho light, the robber’s wings keeping it generally on top and eventually aiding it to got away, though often with tho loss of a log. A very certain animosity of long-stand-ing is evident by the contests between colonies of ants; notably the big blacks' and tho 'equally largo red and brown species, both common in our -woodlands and Holds. This is war with, mob-liko man-

agement, uo drill nor generalship exhibited, but none the less a combination of actions and a determination that is worthy of patriotic emulation on tho part of humans. For defeat only comes by total annihilation. Let the two colonies of those ancient feudists but chance to be established within ranging distance of each other and war is certain, one tribe as though at a signal making an onslaught upon the other, perhaps coveting its stores of food, but it may bo there exists an ancient hereditary enmity.-—* Sde-tiSi American/